The more the merrier in Heather’s Florida Kitchen! That’s why I have teamed with the fabulous folks over at Orlando’s WOMX Mix 105.1 to offer the Recipe of the Week. Today’s recipe is Cashew Chicken with Orange Glaze. Florida grows a variety of oranges, but the most popular are Navel, Hamlin, Pineapple, Ambersweet and Valencia. In the kitchen, oranges will last longer when refrigerated. In the store, choose a fruit that is firm and heavy for its size. In recipes, oranges pair well with basil, mint, chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, olives, nuts and strawberries. Every week you can find more recipes exclusively for Mix 105.1 here and at the radio station’s website.

Crab and Prosciutto Corn Fritters is a rich turn on regular fritters. With lump crab meat and prosciutto, the flavor profile is nicely balanced. I first saw the recipe at the Duda Farm Fresh Foods web site as part of their Dandy Summer Recipe Contest. Dee Guelcher, aka Cooking Guru, was a finalist in the contest and submitted the recipe. I gave it a few personal twists but thank Duda and Guelcher with the inspiration.

1. Mix the eggs and milk. In another bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt and pepper. Add the egg-milk mixture to the dry mixture. Fold in the corn, green onions, jalapeno and red bell pepper. Fold in the mayonnaise, crab and prosciutto.2. Heat oil in deep-fryer or deep skillet3. Drop by scoops into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to paper towels.
Recipe note: The mayonnaise gives extra binding to the batter. Some cooks prefer melted butter or olive oil. Use enough of any to get the right consistency for your fritters.SOURCE: Adapted from Dandy Farm Fresh Foods Summer Recipe Contest, original recipe developed by Dee Guelcher, Cooking Guru

Blueberry Trifle is a simple dessert that can be assembled in individual portions or in a large bowl. You want to use a clear glass container so that the elements show. Florida blueberries are in season and you-pick farms are open throughout Central Florida. Research indicates that adding a half of a cup of the fresh sapphire gems daily to an average healthy diet would essentially double the body’s antioxidant level. In addition, blueberries are a great source of vitamin C and fiber.

1. In small saucepan, stir together 1/2 cup of the blueberries, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the cornstarch, and 3/4 cup water. Bring mixture to a boil; cook and stir until sauce is clear and thickened and berries pop, about 5 minutes; cool. Add 1 cup of the blueberries.2. In small bowl, combine yogurt, cream cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until smooth; stir in sherry.3. To serve in individual 6- to 8-ounce glasses: Spoon about 1/4 cup of the cake cubes into the bottom of each glass; top with heaping tablespoon of the blueberry sauce and about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the yogurt mixture; repeat; garnish each glass using remaining 1/2 cup blueberries. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.Recipe note: You can also serve the trifle in a 1-quart glass bowl by arranging in layers, half of the cake cubes topped with half of the blueberry sauce and yogurt mixture; repeat. Garnish with remaining 1/2 cup blueberries. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.SOURCE: U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

Strawberry-Kissed Meringue Pie rises from a hard melt-in-your-mouth crust that is an out-of-the-ordinary, low-fat alternative to a regular pastry or cake dessert bases. When preparing the meringue, be sure that the bowl and beaters are clean and free from fat which prevents the egg whites from reaching full volume. Tip: Use a glass bowl and chill in the freezer just before mixing the egg whites.

1. Heat oven to 325F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. Beat egg whites and salt with a mixer at high speed until whites begin to mound. With mixer on high, add 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, and almond extract, beating until sugar dissolves and whites stand in stiff, glossy peaks when beater is raised. Fold in wheat germ, coconut, almonds. Spread meringue in pie plate to cover bottom and sides but not over rim. Make sides thicker than bottom and 1/2 inch higher than rim.2. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown and firm to touch. Turn off oven. Let meringue shell dry in oven until inside of oven and meringue are completely cool. Do not open oven while cooling.3. Combine berries and powdered sugar. Let stand 15 minutes. Prepare pudding according to package instructions using fat-free milk. Fold 1 cup whipped cream into pudding. Spread mixture in center of meringue. Top with berries. Garnish with remaining whipped cream.SOURCE: Kretschmer Wheat Germ

Strawberry and Wheat Germ Shortcake is a nutty treat that packs in a lot of nutrition in subtle ways. Just eight medium strawberries have more vitamin C than one orange and they are a good source of potassium too. Wheat germ is packed with essential vitamins and minerals and is easy to add to just about any dish, from muffins and cookies to baked chicken and fish.

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position; heat oven to 425F.2. To make topping, mix berries and sugar together in medium bowl; set aside.3. To make shortcakes, mix flour, wheat germ, salt, baking powder, baking soda and 3 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl. Using large holes of a box grater, grate butter into dry ingredients. Toss butter with flour mixture to coat. Working quickly with both hands, rub butter into dry ingredients with fingertips until mixture is crumbly. Stir in buttermilk and mix until just combined. Form dough into a ball and turn out onto a cutting board.4. Pat dough into a 9-by-6-inch rectangle (about 3/4-inch thick). Flour 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter; cut dough into 6 rounds. Gather remaining dough and cut 2 additional biscuits. Place biscuits 1 inch apart on small ungreased baking sheet; brush dough tops with egg white and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Place baking sheet on wire rack and cool shortcakes slightly, about 10 minutes.5. To make whipped cream, chill large bowl and beaters for a handheld mixer in freezer for about 10 minutes. Add cream, sugar and vanilla to chilled bowl and beat on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Working in 30-second increments, slowly increase the speed to high and beat mixture until cream has doubled in volume and soft peaks form.6. To assemble, halve each biscuit crosswise, spoon a portion of berries and then a dollop of whipped cream over each cake bottom. Top with biscuit top and serve immediately.SOURCE: Kretschmer Wheat Germ

The more the merrier in Heather’s Florida Kitchen! That’s why I have teamed with the fabulous folks over at Orlando’s WOMX Mix 105.1 to offer the morning show’s Recipe of the Week. Today’s recipe is Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Fennel. It’s an easy spring entrée that showcases tarragon and fennel, ingredients with similar flavor profiles. Both have notes of licorice or anise. Every Thursday, you can find more recipes exclusively for Mix 105.1’s Morning Mix here and at the radio station’s website.

1. Preheat oven to 400F. In small roasting pan or baking dish, combine potatoes, fennel, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly over bottom of pan. Set aside.2. Place slice of bread in bowl of food processor. Process until bread becomes crumbs the size of peas. In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, curry powder and tarragon.3. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise mixture under skin of each chicken breast. Spread 2 rounded teaspoons of the mayonnaise mixture on top of skin; spread evenly to coat. Sprinkle each breast with 1/4 of the bread crumbs, pressing to adhere to the chicken.4. Place chicken on top of potatoes and fennel. Place in oven and roast for about 45 minutes, or until meat thermometer registers 170 F.5. Serve chicken over fennel and potatoes.
SOURCE: National Chicken Council

Grilled Cauliflower Pasta with Lemon-Tahini Dressing can be a light spring lunch or dinner entrée option. The shell-shaped pasta and fresh Florida cauliflower, tomatoes and herbs give the dish ample Sunshine State appeal. Store raw, uncut and unwashed cauliflower in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for up to five days. Store tomatoes at room temperature, out of their packaging and never in the refrigerator.

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.2. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grease a grill grate pan well. Toss together the cauliflower, oil, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Grill seasoned cauliflower, turning occasionally, for about 8 to 12 minutes or until tender and lightly charred.3. For the dressing, stir tahini paste, gradually adding the lemon juice and water until the mixture is smooth. Stir in garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne.4. In a large bowl, combine pasta and cauliflower. Toss with the dressing. Stir in tomatoes, onion and parsley. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.Recipe note: Add chopped cucumbers and olives to the salad if desired.
SOURCE: Pastafits.org

Fajita Salad with Charred Jalapeno Dressing is a recipe I clipped from Women’s Day magazine last May. The dish combines many of my favorite flavors and textures into a satisfying entrée with Fresh From Florida elements. Despite the ease of searching for new recipes online, I still manage to keep an ongoing pile of recipe inspirations torn from magazines, pamphlets and promotional materials. I like the hard copy aspect and sifting and sorting them is always fun. The keepers are folded into a wood recipe box that belonged to my mother along with home economics recipes from grade school. It probably doesn’t look like much to most people, but it’s the story of my life told in recipes.

1. Heat grill to medium-high. Slice all but 1⁄4 of the red onions into 1⁄2-inch thick rings. Finely chop remaining quarter and place in a small bowl. Add lime juice, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine.2. Brush onion slices, peppers and jalapenos with 1 tablespoon oil.3. Season steak with salt and pepper.4. Grill vegetables until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Grill steak to desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer vegetables and steak to a cutting board. Let steak rest at least 5 minutes.5. Finely chop jalapenos and add to the bowl with raw onions and remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Mix to combine.6. Cut peppers and onions into pieces and slice steak. Divide greens among 4 plates. Top with steak and vegetables, then drizzle with jalapeno dressing.SOURCE: Women’s Day magazine

Mint Coleslaw showcases Florida’s cabbage crop. The fresh shreds are combined with sweet peas and garden mint to create a refreshing spring salad. The recipe is from “Good Catch: Recipes and Stories Celebrating the Best of Florida’s Waters,” a cookbook I co-authored with dear friends and fellow Florida agriculture supporters Pam Brandon and Katie Farmand. With five ingredients, it comes together in about five minutes. Add it to your tailgate and brunch recipe files.

1. Combine mayonnaise and sugar in a small bowl, blending well.2. Combine cabbage, peas and mint in a large bowl. Fold in dressing to completely coat.Recipe note: When shopping for fresh mint, look for evenly colored leaves that show no sign of wilting. Store in the refrigerator with stems in water and leaves covered with a plastic bag for up to a week.

The more the merrier in Heather’s Florida Kitchen! That’s why I have teamed with the fabulous folks over at Orlando’s WOMX Mix 105.1 to offer the morning show’s Recipe of the Week. Today’s recipe Slow Cooker Corned Beef. The ingredients for this traditional stew simmer in your slow cooker during the day. By Friday night your St. Patrick’s Day dinner will be ready. Every Thursday, you can find more recipes exclusively for Mix 105.1’s Morning Mix here and at the radio station’s website.

Food writer and cookbook author

Heather McPherson is a former food editor, restaurant reviewer and multimedia journalist for the Orlando Sentinel.
She handles press and media for Chef Art Smith’s Florida Homecomin’ Kitchen and Splitsville Luxury Lanes at Disney Springs and is the Central Florida director of new business and development for RockawayPR.
A past president of the Association of Food Journalists, she serves on the AFJ conference planning committee. She provides food content for the Florida Dairy Farmers, EdibleOrlando, hypeorlando.com (“Heather’s Florida Kitchen”), PrimeTime Kitchen (with Jim Colbert) on Real Radio 104.1, and Orlando's Morning Mix on Mix 105.1 FM.
The author of three cookbooks, she has co-written five others and edited three cookbooks. Her latest works are “Mojito” (publishing in 2018), “Field to Feast: Recipes Celebrating Florida’s Farmers, Chefs, and Artisans” and “Good Catch: Recipes & Stories Celebrating the Best of Florida's Waters” both with Pam Brandon and Katie Farmand (all three University Press of Florida).
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the College of Journalism and Communication at the University of Florida and was honored with the college’s Emig Award, given to the student the faculty believes will contribute the most to the state of Florida through journalistic pursuits. Born Indianapolis, Ind., she and husband artist Spencer Pettit live in Mount Dora, where she serves on the Lake Cares Food Pantry Board of Directors. In 2016 she was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Society.